Not Just a Boy’s Club

By Beth Alcazar // 06/09/2015

Something pretty exciting happened today at the indoor shooting range at Hoover Tactical Firearms in Hoover, Alabama. There were actually more ladies lined up in the shooting lanes with their firearms than there were men!

No, today was not a special ladies’ event. It was not a meeting of The Well Armed Woman. And it wasn’t even date night. On this random, Sunday afternoon, as I got in a little shooting practice with my husband, I witnessed about 12-15 grandmothers, moms, and daughters, side-by-side and shoulder-to-shoulder, shooting with other ladies, dads, boyfriends, and friends.

For some, you could tell it was their first time, and you could hear nervous chattering and excited remarks. For others, you could sense a seasoned composure and focus. I absolutely loved the energy. It was awesome! And it just goes to show you how many more women—of all ages and experience levels—are getting involved with shooting for home protection, for self defense, and for fun.

You know, it’s kind of ironic, but not too long ago, I came across an article entitled: “Why The Gun Industry Will Never Win Over American Women.” It’s not worth examining. (Trust me!) The author praises Shannon Watts of Moms Demand Action, talks about domestic violence being a major reason NOT to have a firearm, and insists that women are not safer with guns. She claims that folks in the NRA (and anyone, really, who supports lawful and responsible gun ownership) are just using “intimidation tactics” and spouting off “faux-feminist rhetoric,” stating that gun lobbyists are “invoking the threat of potential violence in the name of female empowerment.” But I still had to laugh at this article—and at that headline—considering the following statistics:

There has been an 85% increase in women hunters and a 60% increase in women target shooters from 2001-2013. (NSSF)

In 2012, 69% of women favored stricter gun-control laws. Currently, that number is down to 55%. (Gallup)

In 2012, 80% of gun retailers reported a rise in female customers. (CNN)

Women now account for 37% of new target shooting participants. (NSSF)

In 2014, 58% of women believed that guns make a home safer, with only 34% believing that guns make a home more dangerous. (Gallup)

In 2005, 13% of women were gun owners. By 2014, that number had jumped to 31%. (Statistic Brain)

In 2003, 36% of women reported having guns in the home; that number is currently up to around 42%. (Gallup)

It may be a bitter pill for the gun-grabbers to swallow, but they have already lost the battle. The gun industry HAS won over American women! Like it or not, females are continuing to break the shooting industry’s traditional, boy’s club mold. And scores of American women are purchasing, training with, and carrying firearms in the name of female empowerment because we refuse to stand by, idle and helpless, and become victims…or allow harm to come to our families or to our children.

I am so proud to be just one of millions of women (and mothers), who are, every day, growing in numbers and growing in strength. You know the saying: “I am woman; hear me roar.” Well, we need to bump that up a bit with: “We are women; hear us THUNDER” …because women are taking the firearms industry by storm!